Mom's racing passion carries on to her son

Monday

Apr 29, 2013 at 2:00 AM

At 73, Barbara "Bobbi" Borghese is still going strong, driving her Corvette to work every day to the Marriott where she works in sales in the state of Florida. You can probably say that Barbara credits her spunk and stamina to her years of dirt track racing.

Donna Kessler

At 73, Barbara "Bobbi" Borghese is still going strong, driving her Corvette to work every day to the Marriott where she works in sales in the state of Florida. You can probably say that Barbara credits her spunk and stamina to her years of dirt track racing.

Barbara started racing in the 1960s and was usually put in the class with the men (Sportsman and Modified) and she would end up winning. "When she raced, she raced like a man," said her son, Benny Rizzo, of Walden, "but once she got out of the car it was back to the heels. She never wanted to lose that femininity."

After being noticed by promoters, Barbara started racing in Australia. She was so good that promoters set up a grudge race with other women drivers to go against her. Barbara may have come in second that day, but she had already made her mark in dirt track history. Her picture graced the front of many of the racing programs and advertisements.

Even though she raced halfway around the world, Barbara was most comfortable at her home track, Freeport Race Track in Bellmore on Long Island. She met her husband there, Ron "Soupy" Schwendenmann, who raced modifieds. After getting married, Barbara spent her honeymoon right there at the racetrack. She ended up winning one championship at her home track and still has the trophy today.

Barbara has instilled dirt track racing in her son, Benny, too. He also credits his stepfather, Ron.

Benny started racing go karts in 1981 and in 1992 came up with the idea to build metal panel bodies for the karts. These bodies added safety and were a way to advertise the drivers' sponsors. They were also good for identification carrying the drivers' name and number. Today the "X" that marked his go-kart in the '90s, marks the Sprint car that he races locally. Benny still races the go-kart he built in the '90s. He won the 2012 Novemberfest in that same go-kart.

Benny works on his own cars while running his auto detailing business, Doctor Overflow, but thanks Chris Ward and Jim Gross, who help him out. "This is my life's passion," he said. "It always has been and I have given up a lot in my life for it."

You can see Benny racing next at Orange County Fair Speedway in the Town of Wallkill May 4. You can't miss Benny's car. Just look for the big eyeball on the top of his wing, which is the logo for Topcoat Sealcoating, owned by his friend Billy "The Biker" Bennett, who is on WPDH radio every Friday morning, and of course there's that big red "X."